CSUSM Admissions

Cal State San Marcos Admissions

In the Summer of 2013, Cal State San Marcos (CSUSM)officials and the Vista Unified School District (VUSD)entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) stating preferred admission status for students graduating from the VUSD. This affects YOU as a middle school student. We know that there is a very strong correlation between the decisions, habits of mind, background knowledge and study habits that a student has in middle school and their "readiness" for college.

To qualify for this agreement, students need graduate high school with a high school GPA of 3.0 and have completed the "a-g" course requirements.

CSUSM STEM Center Relationship

Entering the 2014-15 school year, Vista Innovation & Design Academy (VIDA) is the only middle school in North County to have a developed a working relationship with the CSUSM STEM Center. The aim of the STEM Center is to increase the number of STEM-related majors at CSUSM, and to support the students once in the STEM Programs.

One way to increase the number of STEM-related majors at the university is to build relationships with local high schools, and our middle school.

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Location, Location, Location

Just a 35-minute drive south takes you to downtown San Diego, while a short 15 minute jaunt west across north county takes you to the beautiful shores of the Pacific Ocean.

San Marcos is located in Northern San Diego County, only a few miles from the hustle and bustle of major cities such as San Diego and Los Angeles, but nestled in a quiet, suburban neighborhood (population 76,000). While our campus is expansive (we're talking 304 acres), it's tucked into the foothills overlooking the city, creating a tight-knit community right here on campus.

From miles of trails in the local hills, to unique dining and shopping opportunities in its retail centers, San Marcos has all the ingredients that make visiting enjoyable.

Quality centers like Creekside Marketplace, Nordahl Center, Grand Plaza and Old California Restaurant Row have all become popular shopping and dining destinations, and plans for future developments like the San Marcos Downtown Creek District, Palomar Station and University Village will quickly put San Marcos on the map as a regional shopping, dining and entertainment destination.

Community theatre, music and fine arts organizations are also alive and well in San Marcos. The City’s own “Theatre West” group presents outstanding community theatre production, while the California Center for the Arts in Escondido bring entertainment of high acclaim to the local area.